BSHS/352
Rhiannon Jackson
August 19, 2013
Don Iliff
Analyzing a Web Page
Gathering information about a topic over the internet can be rather tricky, even if you are a savvy computer user. The search for a specific topic is easy, however, when you begin to search for it, you generally receive hundreds of links on the search page; all pointing to what you may think is valuable and helpful information. The tricky part is trying to decipher what links are going to be useful and what links are not. Not surprisingly, everything that is posted on the internet does not have credibility or value, which is why it is important to understand how to analyzing a web page correctly. When analyzing a webpage, one must take into consideration some important components. These are authority, accuracy, currency, and objectivity.
When looking at a webpage you must decide whether or not is has authority, in other words, who is responsible for the information that is posted? A webpage that has accurate information allows the reader to verify the facts that are posted. When looking for currency, the reader must look for a date when the information was written, when it was placed on the internet, when it was last revised, and to confirm that there are no dead links. Lastly, one must look for objectivity, which means the information must be fair, balanced, and without any bias. If all of these components check out, the webpage is most likely credible, and a good source to use for research (Widener University, 2011).
One website that is intended as a resource for human service needs is the State of Hawaii, Department of Human Services webpage, specifically under employment opportunities. This page is designed to help individuals who live in Hawaii research information on civil service, and non civil service jobs. It has information on vocational rehabilitation, disability claims, temporary assistance, homeless programs, and many more searchable options ("State Of Hawaii, Department Of Human Services", 2013). In regards to the four components that make a page credible, the first component that stood out was authority.
This is a government page, with a website that ends in .gov. Most or all government sites can be seen as credible because often times they are secure. Not only is the page a government page, there is also plenty of contact information listed. There is a section that lists different information lines; there is a tab to email, and also a phone number. When you click the contacts page on the website, it takes you directly to the address of the director’s office. Once checked, all of these sources were proven true and accurate.
The accuracy of the webpage can be verified and backed up by the policies and memos that are available to view on the page. These memos and policies are also current. All of the memos and policies that are listed have a date when it was last revised, and a date when it was placed on the